Fort Smith Man Arrested For String Of Midland Blvd. Burglaries

A Fort Smith man admitted to a string of burglaries along Midland Boulevard in Fort Smith after police recovered a partial fingerprint at one of the scenes, a Fort Smith Police Department report states.

Darrell Spencer, 29, of Fort Smith was arrested Friday at the police department after he was questioned regarding burglaries and break-ins at several businesses along Midland Boulevard, dating to Aug. 5. Spencer was arrested on suspicion of five counts of felony commercial burglary and seven counts of felony breaking and entering, according to the report.

Police arrived at El Hefe Auto Sales, 1615 Midland Blvd. on Friday after an electrical meter was reported stolen at the business. Police previously responded to the same business two days before for the same reason, where they found a latent fingerprint belonging to Spencer, the report states. Several sets of keys to vehicles parked in the lot were also reported missing.

Police searched a strip mall at 2226 Midland Blvd. and found electrical meters missing from River Valley Restaurant and Wide Awake Café, where a fuse was also reported missing from an air-conditioning unit. No fingerprints were found at the scene, the police report states.

Police also found the door to Spin City Laundry unlocked, with several vending, arcade and washing machines opened and damaged. The door to an office appeared broken and the office itself ransacked, with several keys to vending machines and washers reported missing, according to the report.

Spencer spoke with police after they contacted his parole officer, the report states. Spencer admitted to breaking and entering several businesses in the area, along with stealing several electrical meters and the sets of keys, the report states.

Police later found the sets of keys in Spencer’s room at Capri Motel, 1833 Midland Blvd.